Expansible linkage for use in making a watch band or similar article of jewelry



March 7, 1967 w. F; VANOVER 3,307,348

EXPANSIBLE'LINKAGE FOR USE IN MAKING A WATCH BAND OR SIMILAR ARTICLE OF JEWELRY Filed June 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. WALLACE F. VANOVER ATTOR N EYS 3,307,348 v EXPANSIBLE LINKAGE FOR USE IN MAKING A WATCH March 1967 W. F. VANOVER BAND 0R SIMILAR ARTICLE OF JEWELRY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 50, 1964 FIG. 9

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INVENTOR. I WALLACE F. VANOVER FIG. l4 fizZ,% m,@WW/Z;%QJZ

V ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,307,348- Patented Mar. 7, 1967 This invention relates to an expansible linkage for use in making a watch band, an identification bracelet or similar articles of jewelry.

The most satisfactory type of expansible linkage which has been used for making watch bands since 1952, in-

cludes two rows of overlapping staggered links in which each link extends in a direction generally transverse to the length of the band. Interconnecting members having legs located within the links of the upper and lower rows pivotally connect them to each other. A single flat spring is located within each link and extends from an intermediate portion of one wall of the link to engage the legs with an initial deflection. The initial deflection of all of the springs is sufficient normally to urge the links of the band to fully contracted position. The ends of the springs which engage the legs are further deflected when the band is expanded by stretching it to slip a wrist watch and band over the hand of the wearer to his wrist. When the stretching force is released the springs act upon the legs and the legs act upon the links to cause the links to return to a nearly contracted position in which the band grips the wrist with sufiicient pressure to prevent movement thereof longitudinally of the wrist but without enough pressure to cause discomfort to the wearer. In removing the watch and band from the wrist the band is expanded by stretching it and the combination is pulled over the wearers hand and released, whereupon the band returns to fully contracted position. This type of band is disclosed in US. Patents 2,689,450 to Stiegele, 2,799,135 to Dolansky and 2,941,351 to Dolansky. Other modifications are known to persons skilled in the art.

While the aforesaid prior art type of linkage has been entirely satisfactory in the manufacture of mens watch bands which are quite wide, its use in ladies watch bands has been restricted to bands which are about 0.25 inch in width or greater. This has been necessary because when the width of the band is further reduced the length of the springs must be shortened and this reduces the fatigue life of the springs so much that the bands do not stand up in use and are commercially unacceptable. There has been a recognized long felt need in the art for a much narrower linkage of this type for use in making ladies watch bands thereby to increase the delicate and attractive apperaances thereof.

This invention has solved that long felt want by pro viding a very durable ladies watch band which is only about two-thirds as wide as the narrowest prior art watch band of said type. In addition, this invention provides a ladies watch band which is about thinner than prior art watch bands of the aforesaid type, thus further enhancing the delicate and attractive appearance thereof.

One object of this invention is to provide an expansible linkage which is durable in use and which is extremely narrow and therefore attractive for use in making an article of jewelry such as a watch band.

Another object is to provide such a narrower linkage which is considerably thinner than prior art linkages of this type and therefore more attractive for use in making articles of jewelry such as a watch band.

- Yet another object of this invention is to provide such a durable narrow linkage which when used as a watch band or the like is securely held in its contracted position on the wearers wrist yet it is comfortable and it is also readily removable therefrom.

A still further object is to provide such a linkage which can be shortened or lengthened by the retail jeweler.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the width of the finished watch band is 0.18 inch compared to a width of 0.25 inch of a comparable prior art watch band and with a thickness of the bracelet of about 0.100 inch compared to a thickness of about 0.125 inch of a comparable prior art watch band.

In general, the invention comprises using two or more superimposed flat springs in at least each link of one row of links, the flat springs being in face to face engagement at least in the locality where they engage the legs of the interconnecting members.

In the preferred embodiment, the flat springs are of generally arcuate shape between their localities of engagement with the leg and the locality of the link wall from which they act and the springs are also in face to face engagement with each other between said localities.

By using two very thin springs in each link instead of one thicker spring as in the prior art, by making each spring considerably thinner than the prior art spring and by arranging the two springs in face to face engagement, new and surprising results have been accomplished in that both an adequate linkage contracting force is provided and great durability of the linkage is also provided.

With two thinner springs in the particular arrangement claimed in this application (1) the amount of plastic deflection of each thinner spring is less than the amount of plastic deflection with a thicker spring of the prior art and (2) the stress range (the number of pounds per square inch of tension and of compression) to which each thinner spring is subjected during its movements from unloaded height to loaded height and from loaded height to fully deflected position is considerably less than with the single prior art spring. These two facts combine to provide greater fatigue life than with a single thicker prior art spring of the same arcuate shape and of the same length. With a single prior art spring in each link reduced to the length necessary to provide such a narrower linkage, the linkage fails after a relatively few expansions and contractions and is completely unsatisfactory, whereas with a linkage constructed according to the present invention of the same narrower width the linkage may be subjected to many thousands of expansions and contractions without failure.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following description and the accompanying drawings which describe and show for illustrative purposes only, one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a segment of a linkage embodying the present invention with the parts shown in contracted positions and partly in section, the section being taken on the line 1-1 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1, but with the parts shown in expanded position, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the segment of the linkage with the parts shown in fully contracted position and partly in section, the section being taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a segment of the linkage with the parts shown in expanded position and partly in section, the section 'being taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a side view of two thin flat springs arranged in face-to-face engagement with each other at their unloaded heights, but before insertion in a link.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view in perspective of one of the U-shaped interconnecting members.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged section taken on the line 88 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view in perspective of one of the top links turned upside down so as to show the inwardly bent tabs of the top shell which secure it to the link.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged section taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of one end of the blank from which the top link is formed.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of one end of the blank from which the bottom link is formed.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of one side of the blank from which the ornamental top shell is formed.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view in perspective of one of the bottom links turned upside down with the interconnecting members and spring removed.

The linkage comprises a row of top links 4 and a row of bottom links pivotally connected together by U- shaped interconnecting members 8 which have legs 8A and 813 connected together by the end piece 8C.

Each top link 4 has an ornamental shell 11 attached thereto by the tabs 11A which are received in the cut-outs 4A of the top link (see FIGS. 9 and 11).

The links 4 of the top row of links are staggered with relation to and overlap the bottom links 5 lengthwise of the linkage. The links of both rows extend in a direction generally transverse to the length of the linkage when viewed from the top as in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The top and bottom links 4 and 6 may be made from stainless steel or any other suitable material.

The top link is formed from the blank shown in FIG. 11 and the bottom link from the blank shown in FIG. 12. The blank of the bottom link is formed with outwardly extending tabs 5A which during assembly of the linkage are bent upwardly to hold in and partially conceal the lower portions of the end pieces 8C of the interconnecting members.

The ornamental top shell 11 may be made from a blank of gold-filled stock or of stainless steel stock or any other suitable material. When assembled about the top link 4, its top wall overlies the top wall of the link, its depending side walls extend along the outside of the side wall of the link and the tabs 11A hold the top shell in this relationship with the link. The top shell is also provided with end tabs 11B and in the final assembled linkage they serve to conceal the upper portions of the end pieces 8C of the interconnecting members.

The ornamental top shells may be omitted and the top link formed with the desirable ornamental appearance without departing from this invention.

Each link of each row is pivotally connected with the two adjacent links of the adjacent row by means of four interconnecting members 8.

In assembled condition, the legs 8A and 8B of the connecting members extend within the links in a direction generally transverse to the length of the linkage. The legs of two of the four connecting members are located within a link of the top row near one side thereof, the other leg of one of these connecting members is located within an adjacent link of the bottom row and the other leg of the other connecting member is located within an adjacent link in the bottom row. The other two connecting members are located near the opposite side of the linkage and they are located within the links near the opposite sides in the same way.

The flat springs 13, 14 may be made of any suitable corrosion, set and fatigue resistant material such as stainless steel, a cobalt nickel alloy of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,524,661, or the like.

I have found that a narrow, thin, durable ladies watch band may be made in which the springs 13 and 14 are of stock which is 0.002 inch thick and 0.062 inch wide, with a distance between the bends 15 and 16 of about 4- 0.103 inch in the unloaded condition of FIG. 5. When used in links which have an inside height of about 0.028 inch, a linkage which is about 0.180 inch wide and about 0.100 inch thick is provided which will withstand more than 50,000 expansions and contractions, before failure of a spring.

To assemble the linkage, pairs of springs 13, 14 are inserted in the top and bottom links. This causes the ends of the springs to be deflected from their unloaded height of FIG. 5 to a partially loaded height. The legs of the connecting members are then inserted between the bends 15 and 16 of the springs and the outer walls of the links. This causes the ends of the springs to be further deflected to their working height shown in FIG. 7 and the linkage is in the fully contracted position of FIGS. 1, 3 and 7. Then the tabs 5A of the bottom links are bent upwardly to the positions shown in FIG. 7, and the top shells are assembled to the top links.

Such a linkage is formed of the desired length, end connecting members are attached to the ends of such length of linkage for use in attaching it to a wrist watch and the resultant watch band is cleaned and polished in any suitable manner.

In the contracted position of FIG. 7, the crown 17 of each pair of nested springs bears against an intermediate portion of one wall of a link and the bends 15 and 16 engage pairs of legs of the connecting members, thus resiliently urging the linkage to its fully contracted position shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 7.

When the linkage is expanded from the position shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 7 to the position shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 8, the ends of the springs are further deflected from their working height to their full deflection as shown in FIG. 8 and in this position they are bottomed out against the inner wall. This deflection of the springs is caused by the turning movements of the legs.

Because the crown 17 of the springs is generally arcuate rather than angular or V-shaped, as this working deflection increases a reverse curve 17A (FIG. 8) is formed in the arcuate crown and the load is no longer concentrated at this crown but divides into loads at either side thereof. As the deflection increases, the reverse curvature increases and the points at which the loads are applied moves farther away from the crown. Between the two loads, the bending moment in the spring is constant and when this moment reaches the plastic flow moment the entire center portion of each spring becomes plastic so that any further deflection occurs as plastic deformation of this center region.

With a V-shaped spring, on the other hand, the reverse curvature will not occur, with the result that the maximum moment occurs at the V-shaped crown and a plastic hinge forms at this crown at a smaller deflection than with the arcuate spring and therefore undergoes a greater total plastic deflection. Consequently the fatigue life of the V-shaped spring is considerably smaller than that of the arcuate shaped spring.

Cut-out portions are provided in the ends of the inner walls of the top and bottom links to receive the bent ends 18 and 19 of the springs as they are deflected from their positions of FIG. 7 to their positions of FIG. 8.

As is well known in the prior art, connecting members having legs of different cross sections may be used. Connecting members may also 'be used in which the legs of opposite U-shaped members are connected together to form members of either C-shape or rectangular shape.

The U-shaped connecting members may be provided with notches in the inner surfaces of their legs and held in by bends provided near the ends of the springs as in the US. Stiegele Patent No. 2,689,450, thus to eliminate the use of tabs such as SA on the links to hold the U-shaped connecting members in the linkage. l

To shorten a linkage such as is disclosed in the drawings, the tabs of pairs of top shells and bottom links are bent outwardly, the intervening section of links is removed and the linkage is reconnected 'by inserting the legs of the thus free connecting members into the appropriate links and rebending the tabs to their original positions.

The linkage may be lengthened by opening the ends of top and bottom links, adding one or more additional links to the linkage and rebending the tabs to their original positions.

While one desirable embodiment of the invention has been shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those shown herein and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An expansible linkage including in combination,

two rows of overlapping staggered links, each link extending in a direction generally transverse to the length of the linkage,

means interconnecting the links of each row with the links of the other row to provide displacement of the links relative to each other lengthwise of the linkage when the linkage is stretched longitudinally from a contracted to an expanded position, said interconnecting means including an interconnecting member having a leg located within at least one of said links and extending in a direction generally transverse to the length of the linkage and means spaced from said leg for rotatably connecting the interconnecting member to an adjacent link in the other row of links, and

resilient means associated with said one link for resisting said displacement of said links,

said resilient means comprising a plurality of flat springs, one of said springs engaging an intermediate portion of one of said link walls and extending toward said leg, another of said springs engaging an intermediate portion of said leg to urge said leg away from said one link wall,

said springs being of generally arcuate shape, free from elongate means for clamping them together and the ends of said springs being free from engagement with said interconnecting member,

said leg, said one link wall and said springs, being constructed and arranged whereby during movement of said one link and said adjacent link from their contracted toward their expanded positions said springs are deflected without engagement between their ends and said interconnecting member, and thereafter upon release of the force causing said expansion, said springs act upon said leg to urge said one link and said adjacent link from said expanded position toward a contracted position.

2. An expansible linkage according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of flat springs consists of two flat springs.

3. An expansible linkage according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of flat springs are in face-to-face engagement with each other at the said localities of engagement with the intermediate portions of said one link wall and said leg.

4. An expansible linkage according to claim 3 wherein said plurality of flat springs are also in face-to-face engagement with each other between said localities of engagement with said intermediate portions of said one link wall and said leg.

5. An expansible linkage including in combination,

two rows of overlapping staggered links, each link extending in a direction generally transverse to the length of the linkage,

interconnecting means comprising legs located within each of said links, said legs extending in a direction generally transverse to the length of the linkage for interconnecting each of said links of one row of links with adjacent links in the other row of links, whereby when the linkage is stretched longitudinally from a contracted to an expanded position, said links of each row are displaced relative to each other lengthwise of the linkage,

and resilient means associated with each of the links in one row of links for resisting said displacement of said links,

said resilient means comprising a set of a plurality of fiat springs one of said springs engaging an intermediate portion of one of the link walls of a link in said one row of links and extending toward the legs which are within said link and another of said springs of said set of springs engaging intermediate portions of said legs which are within said link to urge said legs away from said one link wall,

said springs of each set being of generally arcuate shape, free from elongate means for clamping them together and the ends of said springs being free from engagement with said interconnecting members,

said link, said legs, said one link wall and said springs,

being constructed and arranged whereby during movement of said links of said one row and said links of said other row from their contracted toward their expanded positions said springs are deflected without engagement between their ends and said interconnecting members, and thereafter upon release of the force causing said expansion said springs act upon said legs to urge the linkage from said expanded position toward a contracted position.

-6. An expansible linkage according to claim 5 wherein each set of a plurality of flat springs consists of two flat springs.

7. An expansiblelinkage according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of fiat springs of each set are in face-to-face engagement with each other at the said localities of engagement with the intermediate portions of said one of said link walls and said legs.

8. An expansible linkage according to claim 7 wherein said plurality of fiat springs of each set are also in faceto-face engagement with each other between said 10- calities of engagement with said intermediate portions of said one link wall and said legs.

9. An expansible linkage including in combination,

two rows of overlapping staggered links, each link extending in a direction generally transverse to the length of the linkage,

means interconnecting each of the links of one row with two adjacent links of the other row, said interconnecting means comprising a first pair of U-shaped members, one leg of each of said U-shaped members being located within a link in one row near one side of the linkage and the other leg being located within an adjacent link in the other row of links near the same side of the linkage, and a second pair of U-shaped members, one leg of each of said second pair of U-shaped members being located within said link in said one row near the opposite side of the linkage and the other leg being located within an adjacent link in the other row of links near the corresponding side of the linkage, whereby when the linkage is stretched longitudinally from a contracted to an expanded position, the links of each row are displaced relative to each other lengthwise of the linkage, and

resilient means associated with each of the links for resisting said displacement of the links,

said resilient means comprising a set of a plurality of flat springs, one of said springs engaging an intermediate portion of one of the link walls and extending toward the legs which are within said link and another of said springs of said set of springs engaging intermediate portions of said legs which are within said link to urge them away from said one link wall,

7 3 said springs of each set being of generally arcuate 12. An expansible linkage according to claim 10 whereshape, free from elongate means for clamping them in said plurality of flat springs of each set are also in together and the ends of said springs being free from face-to-face engagement with each other between said engagement with the bridges of said U-shaped memlocalities of engagement with said intermediate portions bers, 5 of said one link Wall and said legs. said one link wall and said springs being constructed and arranged whereby during movement of the links Referemes Cited y the Examine! from their contracted toward their expanded posi- UNITED STATES PATENTS tions, said springs are deflected without enga ement between their ends and the bridges of said U- shaped 10 2387874 10/1945 Biadley 26736 members and thereafter upon release of the force 2689450 9/1954 Snegele 59-795 causing said expansion said springs act upon said 2799135 7/1957 Dclansky 5979'5 1 2,941,351 6/1960 Dolansky 59-795 egs to urge the linkage from said expanded posl- 3 140 581 7/1964 Hanger 59 79 5 tion toward a contracted position, 10. An expansible linkage according to claim 9 where- 15 FOREIGN PATENTS in each set of a plurality of flat springs consists of two flat springs.

11. An expansible linkage according to claim 9 Wherein said plurality of flat springs of each set are in face- CHARLES LANHAM Primary Examiner to-face engagement with each other at the said localities 20 G. P. CROSBY, Assistant Examiner. of engagement with the intermediate portions of said one of said link walls and said legs.

1,234,674 5/1960 France. 

1. AN EXPANSIBLE LINKAGE INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, TWO ROWS OF OVERLAPPING STAGGERED LINKS, EACH LINK EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY TRANSVERSE TO THE LENGTH OF THE LINKAGE, MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE LINKS OF EACH ROW WITH THE LINKS OF THE OTHER ROW TO PROVIDE DISPLACEMENT OF THE LINKS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER LENGTHWISE OF THE LINKAGE WHEN THE LINKAGE IS STRETCHED LONGITUDINALLY FROM A CONTRACTED TO AN EXPANDED POSITION, SAID INTERCONNECTING MEANS INCLUDING AN INTERCONNECTING MEMBER HAVING A LEG LOCATED WITHIN AT LEAST ONE OF SAID LINKS AND EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY TRANSVERSE TO THE LENGTH OF THE LINKAGE AND MEANS SPACED FROM SAID LEG FOR ROTATABLY CONNECTING THE INTERCONNECTING MEMBER TO AN ADJACENT LINK IN THE OTHER ROW OF LINKS, AND RESILIENT MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ONE LINK FOR RESISTING SAID DISPLACEMENT OF SAID LINKS, SAID RESILIENT MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FLAT SPRINGS, ONE OF SAID SPRINGS ENGAGING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF ONE OF SAID LINK WALLS AND EXTENDING TOWARD SAID LEG, ANOTHER OF SAID SPRINGS ENGAGING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID LEG TO URGE SAID LEG AWAY FROM SAID ONE LINK WALL, SAID SPRINGS BEING OF GENERALLY ARCUATE SHAPE, FREE FROM ELONGATE MEANS FOR CLAMPING THEM TOGETHER AND THE ENDS OF SAID SPRINGS BEING FREE FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID INTERCONNECTING MEMBER, SAID LEG, SAID ONE LINK WALL AND SAID SPRINGS, BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED WHEREBY DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE LINK AND SAID ADJACENT LINK FROM THEIR CONTRACTED TOWARD THEIR EXPANDED POSITIONS SAID SPRINGS ARE DEFLECTED WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THEIR ENDS AND SAID INTERCONNECTING MEMBER, AND THEREAFTER UPON RELEASE OF THE FORCE CAUSING SAID EXPANSION, SAID SPRINGS ACT UPON SAID LEG TO URGE SAID ONE LINK AND SAID ADJACENT LINK FROM SAID EXPANDED POSITION TOWARD A CONTRACTED POSITION. 